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  • Title: All's Well That Ends Well (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editors: Andrew Griffin, Helen Ostovich

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-432-5

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editors: Andrew Griffin, Helen Ostovich
    Not Peer Reviewed

    All's Well That Ends Well (Folio 1, 1623)

    All's Well, that Ends Well 245
    From sonne to sonne, some foure or fiue discents,
    Since the first father wore it. This Ring he holds
    1885In most rich choice: yet in his idle fire,
    To buy his will, it would not seeme too deere,
    How ere repented after.
    Wid Now I see the bottome of your purpose.
    Hel You see it lawfull then, it is no more,
    1890But that your daughter ere she seemes as wonne,
    Desires this Ring; appoints him an encounter;
    In fine, deliuers me to fill the time,
    Her selfe most chastly absent: after
    To marry her, Ile adde three thousand Crownes
    1895To what is past already.
    Wid I haue yeelded:
    Instruct my daughter how she shall perseuer,
    That time and place with this deceite so lawfull
    May proue coherent. Euery night he comes
    1900With Musickes of all sorts, and songs compos'd
    To her vnworthinesse: It nothing steeds vs
    To chide him from our eeues, for he persists
    As if his life lay on't.
    Hel Why then to night
    1905Let vs assay our plot, which if it speed,
    Is wicked meaning in a lawfull deede;
    And lawfull meaning in a lawfull act,
    Where both not sinne, and yet a sinfull fact.
    But let's about it.


    1910Actus Quartus


    Enter one of the Frenchmen, with fiue or sixe other
    souldiers in ambush

    1. LordE He can come no other way but by this hedge
    corner: when you sallie vpon him, speake what terrible
    1915Language you will: though you vnderstand it not your
    selues, no matter: for we must not seeme to vnderstand
    him, vnlesse some one among vs, whom wee must pro-
    duce for an Interpreter.
    1. Sol Good Captaine, let me be th' Interpreter.
    1920Lor.E. Art not acquainted with him? knowes he not
    thy voice?
    1. Sol No sir I warrant you.
    Lo.E. But what linsie wolsy hast thou to speake to vs
    againe.
    19251. Sol E'n such as you speake to me.
    Lo. . He must thinke vs some band of strangers, i'th
    aduersaries entertainment. Now he hath a smacke of all
    neighbouring Languages: therefore we must euery one
    be a man of his owne fancie, not to know what we speak
    1930one to another: so we seeme to know, is to know straight
    our purpose: Choughs language, gabble enough, and
    good enough. As for you interpreter, you must seeme
    very politicke. But couch hoa, heere hee comes, to be-
    guile two houres in a sleepe, and then to returne & swear
    1935the lies he forges.

    Enter Parrolles
    Par Ten a clocke: Within these three houres 'twill
    be time enough to goe home. What shall I say I haue
    done? It must bee a very plausiue inuention that carries
    1940it. They beginne to smoake mee, and disgraces haue of
    late, knock'd too often at my doore: I finde my tongue
    is too foole-hardie, but my heart hath the feare of Mars
    before it, and of his creatures, not daring the reports of
    my tongue.
    1945Lo. . This is the first truth that ere thine own tongue
    was guiltie of.
    Par What the diuell should moue mee to vndertake
    the recouerie of this drumme, being not ignorant of the
    impossibility, and knowing I had no such purpose? I
    1950must giue my selfe some hurts, and say I got them in ex-
    ploit: yet slight ones will not carrie it. They will say,
    came you off with so little? And great ones I dare not
    giue, wherefore what's the instance. Tongue, I must put
    you into a Butter-womans mouth, and buy my selfe ano-
    1955ther of BaiazethsMule, if you prattle mee into these
    perilles.
    Lo. . Is it possible he should know what hee is, and
    be that he is.
    Par I would the cutting of my garments wold serue
    1960the turne, or the breaking of my Spanish sword.
    Lo. . We cannot affoord you so.
    Par Or the baring of my beard, and to say it was in
    stratagem.
    Lo. . 'Twould not do.
    1965Par Or to drowne my cloathes, and say I was stript.
    Lo. . Hardly serue.
    Par Though I swore I leapt from the window of the
    Citadell.
    Lo.E. How deepe?
    1970Par Thirty fadome.
    Lo.E. Three great oathes would scarse make that be
    beleeued.
    Par I would I had any drumme of the enemies, I
    would sweare I recouer'd it.
    1975Lo.E. You shall heare one anon.
    Par A drumme now of the enemies.

    Alarum within
    Lo.E. Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo
    All Cargo, cargo, cargo, villianda par corbo, cargo
    1980Par O ransome, ransome,
    Do not hide mine eyes.
    Inter Boskos thromuldo boskos
    Par I know you are the MuskosRegiment,
    And I shall loose my life for want of language.
    1985If there be heere German or Dane, Low Dutch,
    Italian, or French, let him speake to me,
    Ile discouer that, which shal vndo the Florentine.
    Int Boskos vauvado I vnderstand thee, & can speake
    thy tongue: Kerelybontosir, betake thee to thy faith, for
    1990seuenteene ponyards are at thy bosome.
    Par Oh.
    Inter Oh pray, pray, pray,
    Manka reuania dulche
    Lo. E Oscorbidulchos voliuorco
    1995Int The Generall is content to spare thee yet,
    And hoodwinkt as thou art, will leade thee on
    To gather from thee. Haply thou mayst informe
    Something to saue thy life.
    Par O let me liue,
    2000And all the secrets of our campe Ile shew,
    Their force, their purposes: Nay, Ile speake that,
    Which you will wonder at.
    Inter But wilt thou faithfully?
    Par If I do not, damne me.
    2005Inter Acordo linta
    Come on, thou are granted space. Exit
    A short Alarum within
    X 3 Lo E
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